Final answer:
The optimal reinforcement schedule for maintaining a learned behavior is the variable ratio schedule due to its high productivity and resistance to extinction.
Step-by-step explanation:
The best reinforcement schedule to maintain a learned behavior is a variable ratio schedule. Slot machines reward gamblers with money according to a variable ratio reinforcement schedule, making it both productive and resistant to extinction. This schedule is unpredictable, with the number of responses required for a reward varying, leading to high and steady response rates due to its intermittent nature. The effectiveness of this schedule comes from the fact that it creates a high level of motivation for the subject to continue the behavior, as the reward could come at any time.
In contrast, fixed interval schedules reward behavior after a set amount of time and are the least productive and most susceptible to quick extinction. Continuous reinforcement, though effective for initially teaching a behavior, is not as efficient for maintaining a learned behavior as partial reinforcement schedules like the variable ratio schedule.